Breaking Reality
by bitten-by-luv
Summary: although she's cut out love from her "life" Roxy finds something...different with Corey. Not sure what it is, she narrowly misses seeing his death, and it only brings her closer. Can she keep up her promise, or find herself in the arms of forbade love?
1. Broken

**PREFACE:**

It was hard to wrap my mind around it. I… I couldn't seem to. I was still seeing their lifeless eyes, cold bodies, open mouths…

And yet I couldn't understand it.

What? I was seven, for God's sake! I didn't _know_ what death was. I just assumed that people's bodies just _floated_ away up into the sky. Well, _duh,_ that's not how it happened. I repeat: _I was seven._

But… It's ten years later, I ignore all and any conversation about mothers and, or, fathers. I step away from humans on those days, for I don't want to hear, "Daddy I love you!" or, "Number One Mom. You!"

I hear that and it's like driving an endless dagger through my heart.

Also, please notice how I said _humans,_ and not _people._ That's because I mean. I stray from humans.

That's because I am not one.

I'm a vampire!

Yeah, yeah, run and scream, "Go get the wooden stake!" or, "The silver bullets!" Blahblahblah… Hate to break it to you, but—um—silver bullets are for werewolves you doof.

"Roxy!" I heard my name being called, and I ignored it. As usual. I stared into the full length mirror in front of me. Of course, my skin was paler than your average humans'. I had _long_ chocolate hair, with a few pink streaks in them. Don't ask. Mayla wanted me to get them done. And soon, you're going to learn that arguing with a determined Mayla is a nightmare.

I had a height of about 5'8. Aila always teased me that I would be a good basketball player. Good? _Good?_ We're freaking vampires! _Good_ is a freaking _understatement!_ I would rock the court!

But I don't. Because I won't.

My father had wanted me to play basketball.

I tugged a little at my halter top. I didn't like how the pink had such a contrast to my skin. Why couldn't I have been chocolate? Pink looks good in my hair… it would look good on my skin too, right?

Ehm…

"_Roxanne!"_ Aila and Mayla called at the same time. If you haven't picked up the hints yet; they're twins. I ripped open my bedroom door, running down the stairs. They had my backpack in hand and wore _the_ biggest grins. I scowled at them, snatching my backpack out of Aila's hands.

"Aw, Roxy, stop being such a poop. It's the first day of school! It'll be fun!"

"Yeah… right. First day of school for the fourth time. Yeah, sure, it'll be fun when I have to take a shower to wash off all the boys' _drool._"

They both grinned at that and we marched out of the house to my teal Spyder convertible. I slid into the driver's seat, Mayla, the passengers, and Aila into the back. Neither of us bothered to buckle. We vampires have a thing for speed, yet, since we're as _graceful_ as humans would put it, we can't crash unless it was on purpose. And if we were caught speeding, I could just daze the officer into belief that I wasn't.

And if it was a girl… who cares? We'd been 'alive' for so long that we've made huge investments.

Before I leap into my big honking story, I should explain a little bit more.

My parents' were murdered when I was seven. Right in front of my eyes. The last thing that my mom had done for me was given me a little ID tag necklace. It had skull and crossbones on it, but I'd seen her wear it all the time, so it hadn't scared me anymore. She'd said she'd gotten a new one and she's wanted me to have it. Forever.

My father gave me a ring that had four birthstones in it. One of the birthstones was for my new baby kitten, Kip. My mother laughed at my dad when he'd explained why he'd put four birthstones in it. When my fingers outgrew the ring, I put it on the necklace mom had given me.

I'd become a vampire when I was, duh, seventeen. But—you see, the change left me looking, like, twenty-five. So… Uhm… if that doesn't explain it…

I pulled into Lafayette High School. Mayla and Aila giggled as some of the freshman gawked at my car.

Oh yeah… I almost forgot to add that little tidbit. Those psycho myths you've heard… aren't true. We _can_ go out into the sunlight. The myths actually have it backwards. We can still go into moonlight, but it changes our eye color and gives us…. Even more strength than the change did. I'd…I'd tell you more, but—you wouldn't understand it even if I tried.

"Roxy!" Aila giggled. "Stop zoning and get your ass up. Some hottie is checking you out over there."

"Tell me something I don't know," I muttered under my breath, swinging my backpack over my shoulder and locking the car. Mayla laughed and the three of us walked into school.

Of course, our beauty, strength, agility, and gracefulness made us become the clique of Lafayette. People practically worshipped us. Once one guy knew what my locker number was, every guy knew which locker number was mine. Every day I'd pull out at least ten love notes, and, not even bothering to read them, I'd toss them into the garbage. No point in breaking their hearts even more.

So… before my explanation turns too long… I'll jump into my story. This:

This is my story, of how I, Roxanne Anita Isabel Neero, fell in love.

With a human.

Se, after my parents died (murdered) I taught myself that love wasn't a necessity. Oh, boy was I wrong! Going into my senior year for the fourth time—love smacked me in the face with the force of… a vampire's punch. (Pun not intended)

So… read on if you want to know the most horrific, yet terrific, year of my long, long, long, life. I know. Those two words don't belong together in a sentence,but... deal with it. I fell in love. A terrifically, horrible thing.


	2. Vampire Angst

**Chapter Two: Lafayette High/ Disaster School**

Aila POV

Why did Roxy have to be so damn _stubborn?_ I mean, the girl hardly even _looks_ at the boys, let alone _acknowledges_ them. But then again… Mayla and I hardly flirt because, well…. They're human. We're not.

The three of us walked into Disaster High. It had become my favorite nickname for it, after a whole bunch of things went wrong and the school had to shut down for a few weeks.

We heard many catcalls and wolf whistles, and as usual, we ignored them. No point in being more bait than needed. Mayla and I had dazed the principal into letting us have lockers next to each other's. So, all in unison, we stopped at our lockers, twirled the combo's and opened them simultaneously.

Silently, we piled our books into our lockers. I tugged a little at the hem of my cami top. It was almost a purple, but not quite a pink and had written inside a pair of wings, "_I do believe in fairies… I do… I do"_ It's from my all-time favorite today movie. Peter Pan!

"Stop fantasizing about Peter," Mayla laughed, smacking me on the head. "He's not yours."

I shot her a crooked grin, fixing my hair a little. Mayla had the ability to pick up on emotions and manipulate them. She'd probably felt me go all lovey-dovey and … yeah.

Roxy had put on her emotionless _don't f-u-c-k with me_ face. She pulled out her English book and a few notebooks and shut her locker. To see the kid next her.

He gave her a wide friendly smile and held out his hand. "I'm Jamie," he offered.

Roxy rolled her eyes, and, ignoring his hand, replied, "Roxanne." She turned to Mayla and I, giving us the _save me_ look.

We both just grinned and made our ways to our separate classes.

Roxy POV

See, I'm _used_ to having boys throw themselves left and right at me. What irritates me is if they're freshman and try to shake my hand. Remember: vampire always cold+ touching humans very confused humans, as to why our hands are like ice. I ignored Jamie, praying he wouldn't be in my English class. That would _definitely_ be _hell_.

Unfortunately, it looks like he might be. Oh, _hell_. Just _hell._

I like that word, if you haven't noticed by now.

Jamie came up next to me and began chattering. Like, literally, _chattering_. Like he was a freaking bird on crack. Do humans _ever_ shut up? Do they? It hurt to think that I was somewhat like that some odd hundred years ago.

When I finally got to the English room, I stopped and turned to settle a death glare on him. Yes, I get the irony, thanks. "_Please_ tell me you're not in this class."

Jamie gave me a funny look. "Of course not! I'm a freshman."

I huffed out a breath and nearly dazed him. Crap! I hated it when that happened. "Good," I said in the meanest tone that I could. When I sat down in my English class, Jamie was just walking off.

I flipped my streaked hair out of my face, just in time to see an absolutely _gorgeous_ guy walk in. I'm not saying much, I _have_ seen plenty of gorgeous men in my 'life'. But _honestly_. This kid had Hollister, Aeropostale, American Eagle, and G.A.P all thrown together. Don't get me wrong, but he _totally_ pulled it off.

He was tall, sort of the football player look, but obviously he wasn't. He walked right past every football guy in the room. I think he was Cuban. At least, his skin tone showed it. It looked like he worked out, like, everyday. Minus the steroids. He had hair that looked like it had just stepped out of a L'Oreal commercial. It looked perfectly _touchable_.

He must have seen my curious eye—either that or it was the pink streaks—and he turned and nodded his head at me.

Now, if I were human still, I probably would've fainted right there. I would've crawled to his feet and asked him to hold me. I would've started drooling like a damn Saint Bernard. I would've asked him to kiss one of my notebooks or something.

But I wasn't. So I didn't.

Instead, his scent hit me with the force of a thousand ton truck. And _damn_ was it _heavy_.

I had to catch myself to keep from jumping him right in the middle of this classroom just to get a small taste of his blood. _No, Rox!_ I scolded myself. I had stopped breathing. It was easier this way. Less… tempting. I watched as this new student went and sat in the back nearby the window. All the cheerleaders in the class tittered and giggled. They were all bright pink.

I watched one of the girls go up to him, bright red with a swirly notebook and a pink glitter pen in hand. With my vampire hearing, I was able to listen to the entire conversation. "Hi. I'm Sheryl. Could I have your number?" Oh, _gag_.

I watched as he shook his head, his hair doing that little _flip_ thing perfectly, sending his scent wafting over to me. "Nah. Sorry. My dad hasn't hooked up our phone yet. On top of that… I don't give girl's I really don't know my number."

Sheryl giggled a little more before turning and walking back to her friends. She shrugged it off, but the anger was rolling right off of her. I was kind of glad that Mayla wasn't in this class. Poor her.

I studied this kid out of the corner of my eye. He quietly pulled out a black notebook, opened it and pulled out a black pencil along with it. From where I was he looked like he was sketching.

"Class, class, please calm down." Mr. Greenburg was at the front of the room, clapping his hands now. Everybody slid into their separate desks and stopped talking. I heard a little bit of giggling, but ignored it—it was always like this. "I'm going to take roll call. Just give me a sign that you're actually here.

"Tommy Andrews"

"Yo."

"Becky Beckman"

"Hi Mr. Greenburg." Oh, _double gag_.

It went on like that for a little while, and one kid had the nerve to do a fake- fart when he called his name. Mr. Greenburg didn't react. Did I mention this teacher was, like, the greatest?

"Roxanne Neero"

"It's Roxy," I replied. I heard a bunch of, "oohhh," in the back. Making sure that Mr. Greenburg wasn't looking I turned around and shot the group of guys the bird. The all glared at me. I gave them a half-scowl, half-smile. Girl thing. It's, like, in us to be able to do that.

"Corey Treyman"

"Can I give you my nickname too?" Oh, no. It was movie star over here. Egh…

"Later Corey." Mr. Greenburg sounded he didn't want to take crap anymore.

Lunchtime was a mess. Mayla, Aila and I always sat at our own table. We never got trays of food. Never. We always bought a pack of gum and ended up sucking the flavor out of every single piece by the end of lunch. That was our lunch. Not the same as blood… but we weren't gonna drag a deer or something in the cafeteria just to eat something. Nope.

Bubble Gum Lunch. Yum.

But today I was distracted. By Corey. He had sat at a table all by himself in the back of the cafeteria. He'd barely touched his lunch; he only ate his apple and took a bite of the sandwich. But he had that sketchbook out again…

**(Time skip... a week, maybe? I hate the first week of school. duh- im not gonna write about it)**

The first few days of school were like that. English was always my first class so I was always holding my breath when Mr. Corey The Movie Star walked in.

And… At lunch. He always sat on his own too. I… I didn't understand why though. He… had that sketch book out too.

Mayla was fiddling with her gum pack and suddenly threw it down on the table, making my head snap around to stare her. "My _God,_ Roxanne! _What_ on _Earth_ are you so freaking _curious_ about? It's really ticking me off, if you didn't notice!" Uh-oh. Like I said, dealing with an angry Mayla is hell.

"The new kid…" I murmured, ignoring the look Aila sent me.

And then all hell broke lose. Literally

A bunch of the football team walked over to Corey's table and snatched up his sketch book. "Watcha drawing _wench_?" they teased. I saw his face go hard as he tried to reach up and snatch his notebook back.

No luck.

This irked the hell out of me. I started to get up but Mayla grabbed my arm. "What the hell are you thinking?"

"I'm gonna go give those oafs a piece of vampire angst." Aila and Mayla both tried to give me disapproving looks but failed horribly.

"Go get 'em bitch," Aila snapped playfully at me. Mayla punched me slightly on the arm and winked. I grinned and marched over to the gang of bullies.

I kicked one of them in the back of the knee. He whipped around, fist already in the air, but brought it down. A disgusting smile filled his face. "It's a chick, man," one of the other goons said. _Ew,_ where were their _teeth?_

"Leave him alone," I said calmly. For now. They all exchanged glances and tossed the sketchbook onto the floor. They all let out loud guffaws.

"Yeah, right chick. We'll make a deal with you," the entire cafeteria had gone silent when I'd kicked him in the back of the knee.

Another guy finished his sentence. "We'll leave him alone for the whole year… if we get you once a month."

I heard Aila mutter a, "_Hell,_ no. He did not just say that." But she didn't move. Good. I wanted to take care of these freaks on my own.

I kept a straight face on, even though inside I was gagging. "Ha. You're a joker. Too bad I don't like that." Suddenly I kicked my leg out for a high side-kick and clipped him in the chest.

Now let me make this clear, This guy was _huge. _He could be run over by a freaking _truck_ and survive. But when _I_ kicked him, he went flying to the floor. I stood dangerously over him, my temper hanging on edge. "I'll repeat myself: _Leave him alone._"

His eyes were wide and he scrambled up from the floor. He and his goons backed away slowly, nodding furtively. I picked up the black sketch book, shut it after smoothing out some blank pages, and handed it back to him.

"Here Corey." I was careful to make sure his fingers didn't touch mine. He took but met my eyes for a second.

"Why'd you do that?" He asked softly. I was pretty sure even the humans could hear him, without supersonic hearing.

I shrugged casually, trying _really_ hard _not to breathe_, yet make sure it wasn't that noticeable. "They were to you. You obviously weren't gonna do anything about it."

And I was back at our table, playing with my gum package.

**A/N- I WANT REVIEWS!!!!!! (sobs) (small voice) PLEASE?**


	3. Bad Future

**Thanks for the reviews the…. Um… small number of people who reviewed? And Speaker of the Dragons, it's really ur review that made kinda keep this going. Thx!!!**

Mayla POV

Watching Roxy kick that kid's ass was _hilarious_. Watching him scramble away like she was gonna take a stick and impale it on his head was even better. And then Ms. _Badass_ over here sits back down and starts fiddling with her gum as if she hadn't just beaten a _football_ player to the ground.

I lean over and whisper to her, "So what you're a hundred and fifty, give yourself some credit!"

She looked at me as if I had told her to go smoke crack or something. "Credit for what? Not jumping Corey—or kicking that kid's ass?"

I smacked her on the head…. She didn't even move so much as an inch. "Both, dumbnut!"

When we got back from school, the first thing the three of us did was dump our backpacks and start homework. We'd been through the same courses for four years; Which meant that we'd been a freshman, a sophomore, a junior, and a senior _four times._ Sixteen years of the same stuff kind of gets unnerving.

But, hey, we didn't want to lose our rep. We had to do everything like the other humans did.

As a double for doing everything four times, we'd easily memorized the curriculum. _All_ of our homework only took about ten to twenty minutes.

And then we'd go _hunt_.

Yes…. Hunt. No, animals—not humans. We don't do that. Ever since Aila and I found Roxanne and she told us about her past… we solemnly swore that we'd never, ever hunt humans.

"No matter how delectable they may look!" Aila would add playfully.

Roxy had a bad past. A _really_ bad past. With vampires to be more specific.

Vampires had killed her parents.

Vampires had hunted her, chased her, hurt her.

They took her life.

But no more about the depressing stuff.

Roxy's POV

Hunting was… was just so _free_. I ever felt more… open. Of course hurting those innocent little animals hurt a little… but hey—I didn't want to go after actual _people._ That was just… harsh.

Mayla shook me out of my daze with the sharpest of glares. "Stop feeling depressed for yourself—or I'll _make_ you." I blinked at her and took off running, in search for some kind of animal.

Vampires have an amazing amount of speed. We have an amazing amount of _anything_ and _everything_. One year ago, a human challenged me to a race on the school obstacle course. Everybody in earshot started to protest. "She's gonna beat your butt!" "You're gonna be left in the dust!" "Don't humiliate yourself, man."

Of course he didn't listen. So the next day a whole bunch of kids met at school thirty minutes early before the bell rang. The kid and I stood side to side. Somebody clapped their hands and we were off.

I'll be modest and just say that this kid never wanted to look at me again, no matter how 'cute' I was.

So hunting some animals was literally _nothing._

**#& (time skip)**

It was dark out now. And being a vampire… we can't sleep. And it really sucks too. That's one of the downfalls of being alive forever. A _major_ downfall. And here I was, lying on my bed (which was never used by the way) _thinking_. I know…. _Fun._

You keep telling yourself that.

I had just shut my eyes, relaxing every muscle, claming down, when—

"_Aila—Roxy! COME ON!!!" Mayla was yelling. The school unfolded in front of us. A fire was destroying the eastern half of Lafayette High School. _

_I looked at them both. "We have to save them. There are students in the school still. You KNOW we can hear their screams."_

"_But—" Aila began to protest._

"_NO. I don't know about you guys. But saving these lives…_

"_Is really important," Mayla finished for me._

"_I'm doing it for mom and dad." I put my hand in between all of us. "You guys in?"_

"_For friends," Aila said, putting her hand over mine._

"_For LIVING," Mayla added, putting hers on top of Aila's. _

The force of the vision took me by surprise and I rolled over, falling to the floor before my vampire reflexes could jump in. "Shit!" I swore. Aila and Mayla were suddenly over me.

"What happened?" They both asked in unison. The curiosity was burning under their question.

"My power's back," I replied feebly. This is _me_ we're talking about. And I'm _never_ feeble. So someone go and add this to the book of world records for crying out loud!

"Did you see—?" Aila began.

"The future?" Mayla finished.

I nodded grimly. "It was horrible," I whispered. "Just… horrible."

**A/N—Cliffy? I hope SOME people liked this chapter. Review…. **_**Please**_**? I'll give a giant birthday cake!!!**

**-BBL**


	4. Mr MovieStar

**A/N—ok. Here's the biggest birthday cake you'll ever see, handed to the ones who reviewed. Well- virtual birthday cake, of course. Lol. Sorry………**

Roxy POV

Do you know how much I just wanted to crawl through my window and take a serious moon bath? Get _all_ that strength and go beat the living hell out of someone.

But no, I stood stock still, staring at Aila and Mayla. Their ocean eyes stared sadly back at me. I wanted to run. Just to run _some_where, so that Mayla didn't have to feel, to soak up my fear and confusion.

But I couldn't.

"What'd you see?" Aila whispered, her voice as soft as the breeze, whispering through our house.

I blinked at them, sitting unsteadily back on my bed. Yeah, forget about vampire grace—I was about to scream. My mind was racing. This…vision—it seemed planed. I could tell if the future was still being decided on or if something was _really, truly_, going to happen. And this one… was going to happen soon. And someone was behind this.

"Rox," Mayla prompted. "We _may_ have till Christmas, but it doesn't mean we're gonna wait that long."

Slowly, quietly, I relayed the vision to them in an unstable voice. Yeah, yeah—vampires are supposed to be notoriously strong and Blahblahblah—I was _allowed_ to be weak right now.

I found my power a year or so after being changed. I could see the future. Well—at least some of it. But when I turned one hundred (vampire years, mind you), my power just… _disappeared._ Gone. Poof. Just like that. And whenever I tried to project a vision—I got nothing. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

It sucked.

"So you're saying somebody planned this?" Mayla finally asked, getting her speech back. I nodded grimly. For a while, the only sound heard was the wind murmuring its silent tales to the trees outside. Beautiful, silent tales.

It's was overwhelming.

Aila sat down next to me, gulping, even though she didn't have to. "Do we save lives?" she asked quietly.

I pulled my knees up to my chest, resting my head on them. "I don't wanna look again," I whimpered meekly. I was shaking now; the fear was gripping me in an iron-tight grasp. "Don't make me look again."

They both sat down on either side of me and put their arms around my vibrating frame. I felt the wind whispering around us; three vampire 'teens', frightened out of their minds. I didn't know if it could be another power, or if I was just hallucinating or what, but I could _feel_ its calmness. It whispered words of love, life, and _hope_ to me.

Soon I'd better enough to get Mayla and Aila to leave the room. "It wouldn't matter for me," Mayla said. "I can feel _outside_."

And this makes me feel better _how?_

When I was finally left alone I flicked me light on and sat down at my desk. I pulled out one of my multiple sketch pads and a sharp tipped pencil out of my drawer-full of them.

What was I going to draw _this_ night?

Very slowly, seemingly against my own will, the pencil began to scrawl across the page. As I was drawing I sort of spaced, letting my mind wander to any topic but my vision. I barely acknowledged the pencil dragging smoothly against the paper. My thoughts were like little lost being, wondering through an endless fog: lost.

The night seemed to drag endlessly. This was different. I've been 'alive' for one hundred fifty years and no night seemed longer than tonight. Unconsciously, my hand sketched—I had no idea what I was drawing; I was only aware that the pencil was moving.

When dawn broke and the first mourning bird sang, was when I actually looked down to see what I had drawn.

_NO._

I…. had drawn Mr. Moviestair; Mr. Abercrombie- Aeropasotale- Old Navy-American Eagle, Mr. Delicious-smelling-blood-and-probably-better-tasting, Mr. Sketch-book-man, Mr. Hunk-that-should-be-on-a-magazine-cover, Mr. I-can't-stand-up-to-a-bunch-of-football-players-who-steal-my-notebook.

_Why?_

I had no freaking clue.

_How?_

A vampire has the ability of a snapshot, or photographic memory. Our human lives are very vague; fuzzy photos in the back of out minds , which we wish to forget because most are of family which causes us too much pain to even think about.

Well, my mind had about twenty _billion_ snapshots of Mr. Magazine-Cover from the first week of school.

I sighed heavily, thunking my head over and over again on my desk for a good thirty minutes.

To answer your two questions that I _know_ you're going to ask: No, thunking my head repeatedly on a solid wooden desk didn't hurt at all. In fact, is was like a damn feather. Not even. And no—it didn't seem like an eternity. Trust me—I know the description of eternity better than anyone else out there.

As a vampire, after being 'alive' for so freaking long, we could make time go faster , or slower. (in our mind's eye, of course)

But, really, it's giving ourselves and illusion.

Some odd hours later, Aila came up to my room, telling me to get dressed and ready for school. I couldn't go _today_ wearing the same thing I'd worn _yesterday_.

So I got up and changed into a baby blue tee, hipster jeans, and a pair of blue, white, purple tennis shoes. I pulled my hair back from my face, my long, but still-too-short-for-a-ponytail-bangs squaring my face.

I looked like a freaking _anime._

I scooped up my bookbag, absently dumping in any homework I'd forgotten to put in last night. I took one final glance at the picture I'd drawn of Corey before dashing downstairs.

"You okay Rain? Mayla asked, using my old, old, nickname. I pulled out of our driveway and began to speed down the street to school. I knew that she was probing me; feeling my blank, almost lost state.

I glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "Just ducky," I replied in the most convincing voice possible. No sarcasm at all there—just to say.

We pulled into the high school slowly. It took almost all my restraint not to run over every freshman loitering in the _middle_ of the street. I nearly took out one who wouldn't move the first time I honked my horn. I glared at him as I parked the car.

As the three of us got out of the car, ignoring stares from drooling seniors and juniors—I froze.

Unwillingly, without my body's consent, my mind had slipped into 'vision-mode'. Yet, this wasn't exactly what you would really call a vision. It was more of a… a foreboding.

In a small, frightened voice, sounding totally unlike myself, I whispered, "This afternoon," _no…_

**A/N—I am SO FREAKING SORRY it took me so long to post. Otay- I'll make a deal with ANYONE who reads this- give me four reviews on this chapter and I'll post. Give me MORE than four, and I'll try to make the next chapter long. Kay? THANK YOU for being so good!!!!!!**

**-Bitten-**


	5. It's Time

**(deep breath) Okay… it's been a while. Is anybody even still reading????**

Mayla POV

I didn't know if Roxy had said that just to freak us out or what, because, ya know, Roxy plays pranks often…

But I was judging by her expression and the feelings that were running me over, she probably wasn't joking around.

I took a deep breath, trying to gain the slightest bit of control over the situation. "Okay. We're vampires. We can do this, no big. Let's just… you know, go through the day and wait for it to happen."

"But what if we can stop it from happening?" Roxy babbled. Aila raised an eyebrow. Since when had Roxy been so concerned for our fellow classmates (humans) lives?

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Rox, I doubt there's anything we can do. But let's get inside before those seniors over there start hitting on us. They are feeling very… _dirty_, shall I say." The feelings rolling off of them were hard not to suck up, but just so _disgusting_.

We're human guys _always_ like that?

I shuddered, trying not to think about it. I led Aila and Roxy into the school. We got to our lockers and that annoying freshman walked up to Roxy _again_.

Oh, God. This ought be entertaining.

_**Roxy POV**_

Eww… _Why won't he just leave me _alone?! "Hi Roxanne," he waved cheerfully, opening his locker.

I turned my death glare on him. He seemed unfazed. "Yo."

Wow. I'm surprised I was able to respond without shoving him into his locker in an inexplicable way. Huhm…

Jamie blinked at me. "Are you feeling okay? You look a little sick." I choked back a laugh, covering it with a cough. Yeah. That'll be the day. A vampire getting sick.

I leaned over purposefully and coughed near Jamie. "Maybe I'm coming down with something." I coughed again. "I don't think you want to get it."

Jamie leaned away and snatched his notebooks out of his locker. "Uhm…. Yeah. Maybe you're right." And he scuttled off down the hallway to his class.

I stared past him, satisfied. That worked well. I flipped my streaked hair out of my face and pulled out my notebooks. I turned to see Aila and Mayla staring at me with peculiar looks on both their faces. "What? I _know_ that something bad is going to happen in this school and there is nothing I can do to stop it! How am I supposed to act? Like a shampoo commercial? Huh?" I hissed at them.

Without even waiting for an answer, I spun on my heel and stalked to class.

I kind of felt bad for Mayla.

When I sat down in my normal seat in homeroom, the cheerleaders all walked over to me. Uh- oh, high school drama; I could feel it approaching and it was coming _fast_.

"Since you, like, y'know, saved Treyman's life—are you guys, like, friends?" Sheryl asked. At the same exact time, they all leaned back a little a crossed their arms, an expectant look on their faces.

"Uhm…no?"

"Why not?" another snapped.

I paused. Yeah. Why not? "Uhm… because I really don't talk to him that much," I said slowly, as if talking to a mental person.

"Why not? You saved him from being ground beef—or however that phrase is." All the girls began giggling, but stopped when they saw the look on my face.

I was far past fed up. If I still had blood, it would be shooting out of my _ears_ by now. "Listen. I really don't care, alright? I don't enjoy seeing people hurt on purpose. And maybe you should be asking Meat Loaf—or, I mean—your _boyfriend_, the one whose ass I kicked."

Her mouth dropped.

Mr. Greenburg walked into the room.

I gave the cheerleaders a little half-smirk, half-smile and a finger wave. They shot daggers at me but I just laughed.

What losers.

I turned back in my seat, taking a _deep_ breath.

Which was such a _huge_ mistake!

My head whipped around and sitting right in the _normally_ empty desk—was Mr. Moviestar. I almost laughed.

This was too perfect.

"What," I said, trying not to inhale, yet make it not too noticeable.

"So you don't like bullies," he shrugged. I said nothing. "And who said we weren't friends."

"We don't do anything together. Therefore we are not friends. We are acquaintances. I saved your ass," I said stiffly.

Corey shrugged, smiling widely. He waved his hand in the air, sending his scent wafting over to me, filling my mouth with another pool of venom. "Okay, maybe my ass _did_ need saving, but who said we can't hang out? What if I don't want to be just acquaintances with you?"

I scowled. I took another deep breath, trying to calm myself and doing the exact opposite. I had just taken a _huge_ inhalation of _him._ I was drowning. "If you keep talking like you are, the _we_ in that sentence is going to be left with just a _me_."

Corey's smile turned into a grin. If I was human, my heart would have thrown itself into his hands, had that been the case. He put both hands up in the air, like a stopping guard or something. "A'ight, a'ight, I'm sorry. We'll work our way _up_ to friends, how about that?"

I growled, sounding more and more like a vampire by the second. "Listen… Corey," I tried not to say Mr. Moviestar. It was difficult. "Maybe we can be friends. Maybe we can't. Just…"  
"Alright class!" Mr. Greenburg was standing in the front of the classroom, clapping his hands, a big smile on his face. "Today, is Physical Awareness Day. In every single one of your classes, you are going to be doing something that includes your knowledge in physical fitness. The last two periods are going to be spent in the gym, which is being set up for you as we speak. There will be many different presentations for you to look at and participate in too."

Someone raised their hand. "Do we have to?" he whined.

Mr. Greenburg smirked. "Sorry Tommy, yes, you do. Unless there is some sort of school-wide crisis—this will be an all day event."

I choked on my laugh. _School-wide crisis—like, a fire, per say?_

The bell rang and as I made my way to science, I heard Mr. Greenburg call out, "Have fun kids!"

Ha. Yeah right.

**KR**

**KR**

**KR**

_THIRD PERSON_

The boy glances around the gym. Everything was already set up. All the presenters were gathered in the teacher's room, chatting about what they were doing and how they were going to present it.

He drips some of the hairspray onto the plug, where the blender is plugged into. He lights a match and puts it about five inches from the end of the plug. It begins to melt the insulation and the fire crawls up to the hairspray.

"Hey! What are you doing in here!" The boy turns, eyes wide through the mask. He glances to the fire; it's almost there. He flips on the blender and sprints out of the cafeteria just in time.

The explosion rocked the entire east side of the school.

_ROXY POV_

"Did you know that writing and reading burns more calories than just sitting and watching TV does?" Mrs. Appleburn droned. Everybody shook their heads robotically. Of course I've known this forever, but I _had_ to play along. "_Sleeping_ burns more calories than just sitting."

Someone raised their hand. "But isn't that like, the same thing? Just, y'know, with your eyes closed?"

Mrs. Appleburn smiled sweetly. "No. You see, when you are watching TV, the TV is producing everything for you. The moods, the sounds, the voices, the looks. When you read or write, you have to produce that all on your own, which is working your brain more. When you're in REM, your heart rate moves with your dream cycle. It's actually very interesting."

Everybody was silent for a few moments. That was all the time we needed to hear it. It came from the east side of the school, the distinct _boom._

My head snapped up and I met Aila's eyes. A thought seemed to pass between us just as the smoke detectors went crazy.

_It was time_.

**This story IS still on pause. But I kinda felt bad for it taking so long, so I wrote this chapter. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE!!!!!!**


	6. Different

**Thank you for your patience! And for hanging with me!!! Please tell me I still have **_**some**_** readers????**

_ROXY POV_

Everybody on the western half of Lafayette was out on the field watching the explosion devour our high school while firefighters impatiently tried to put out the flames.

At one point, I tried to run in, at human speed, and that was where I screwed up. I couldn't slip past two EMT's, so I got stuck being watched by two frantic teachers.

Even though I was pretty sure the humans couldn't hear over the flames, Aila, Mayla, and I could. We could hear the wails and the screamed of the wounded and burning.

Suddenly a huge fireball erupted. _What the hell!?_

The teachers turned, and at vampire speed I took off towards the parking lot. Mayla and Aila were already at the car, ready to go into the school.

"For my parents'," I muttered, holding my hand out weakly.

"For friendship," Aila added, tossing her hand on top of mine.

"For living," Mayla concluded, a soft smile on her face.

We broke and ran opposite directions.

**KR**

**KR**

**KR**

I broke a window and leapt over the sill. Over the fume of the smoke, I could still smell Corey's scent. It was strong enough, and close enough to pull me straight to him. I kicked down the classroom door to see a group of students all huddled behind the teacher's desk. Corey was amongst them.

"Roxy?" Corey coughed out, bewildered.

"Try not to breathe, I demanded. I punched out the window and helped the girls through first. And then I helped a few of the boys. Sheryl's Meat Loaf boyfriend was one of them.

"Thank you," he whispered, before jumping out after the girls.

Corey was only one left. I grabbed his hand as he stood up, but he yanked it back. He looked towards the door that I had kicked and to the window that I had punched. His eyes shifted to my unmarred fist.

"What are you?" he breathed.

I was frantic. He couldn't die! No! "It doesn't matter. Just—" One of the connecting doors to this classroom burst open with a huge back draft and desks flew at Corey. I dove in front of him, taking the impact, knocking him backwards into the wall.

"Dammit!" I screamed. The damn kid had distracted me. A freaking row of flaming desks now sat in front of the windows. The only way to get out was to prove what I was, was real, and I couldn't do that. I wouldn't ruin everything that Aila and Mayla had built for me.

I glanced back at Corey, who was leaning weakly against the wall, trying to stay awake. I shoved him down, under the smoke. I stood up and cupped my hands around my mouth. "_HELP!_" I screamed. "_Can anyone hear me!? Anyone! PLEASE!"_

I glanced down to Corey. His eyes were fuzzy and he coughed half-heartedly. "I always knew there was something different about you," he mumbled before passing out.

**Mayla POV**

I kicked down the door to the cafeteria and jumped away just as the back draft shot out. I narrowly missed being fried vampire. I stepped into the circle of fire, trying not to scorch my new shirt. A group of kids from their study period were trying to tip a table over a flaming area. From the looks of it, they were getting pretty successful in making a path to the door. I kicked over a few tables to complete their paths. They all looked at me as though I had bug eyes or something. "Go on! Get out of here!" They all sprinted past me, muttering confused and frightened thoughts to each other. Fear and pain emanated off of them in waves.

I continued through the cafeteria, trying to figure out what started the fire. I knew it had started over here. I was practically next to it when it exploded. As I stepped hurriedly into the smoke-filled hallway, I stepped on something soft. Hoping it wasn't a human, I glanced down.

It was a ski mask. A black ski mask. A flame licked at it and I jumped away, hoping my boots wouldn't melt.

Roxy was right. It was planned.

**Aila POV**

I went towards the side of the school that had all the Unified Arts classrooms. The music room was absolutely demolished. I watched the shelf that held a number of students instruments tumble down, sending sparks into the air. I leapt back, trying not to burn my favorite jeans.

The art room was all flames. I hoped that all the students had already been evacuated. Considering the art room was filled with flammable products such as paint, watercolor, and paper. Toss a match in there and you have the world's largest bonfire—like such.

The tech Ed room was horrible. I pulled Mr. Koerl out of the flames and he looked at me, surprised that I could lift him.

_I could probably lift your house if needed, oaf._

"Why aren't you outside with all the other students?" he asked, trying to scold me, but not really succeeding because he _was_ the one burning here.

"Why aren't _you_ outside?" I inquired, shoving him out a broken window and running back into the hallway.

And that's when I heard Roxy's desperate scream.

"_SOMEBODY! PLEASE! I need help!"_

**Roxy POV**

I slid down the wall, realizing that my clothes were getting all sooty. I took my sweatshirt off and covered Corey's nose and mouth with it. I would leave this unmarred, but he most certainly wouldn't. I was going to do the best I could to keep him alive.

I took a deep unneeded breath, but used it to calm me. "C'mon, Corey. Please. Please wake up. You gotta survive this. You gotta."

I'd begun to get desperate. I didn't know why it was taking so long for the firefighters to put out the school (it _does_ sound funny in that context, huh), but they'd better hurry.

After straining my ears for anything, I thought I heard familiar footsteps. I stood up after putting Corey's head back onto the floor; I'd been cradling it in my lap, trying to keep the smoke out of his breath.

"_SOMEBODY! PLEASE! I need help—is anybody there?!" _ I coughed loudly to add a bit of extra effect to it.

Suddenly one of the desks that had blocked the door from the back draft was kicked over and Aila was standing there, looking pretty heroic in my eyes.

She leapt over turned, flaming desks and helped me pull Corey up. "Ohmigosh! Rox, are you okay?"

I blinked at her, hoping that was rhetorical. "I'm fine, but I couldn't get out carrying him. Chances were, if I kicked down a desk, _he'd_ catch on fire. Risks are too high, I don't wanna expose us!"

Aila's eyes softened. She was older than me by about a few hundreds years, but two months younger in human years. "Rain, sometimes, you gotta do what's right, even if it's risking a perfect life."

I stared at her for a long moment until Corey moaned in my arms, shifting. Ails kicked the row of flaming desks back into the wall, making a small explosion. I cringed away from it, jumping out the window.

Aila and I ran at human speed, tripping, stumbling, and almost dropping Corey, to the east side of the school. "Help! Somebody! Please!" Aila wailed.

Another ambulance fishtailed into the parking lot and almost simultaneously, three EMT's jumped out, holding a stretcher. They loaded Corey on it and separated Aila and I. A doctor stepped up to me with an oxygen mask and stethoscope.

I smiled sweetly. "You won't find anything," I trilled. He seemed dazed for a second, but shook it off. He stepped forward again, and I stepped back. "No, seriously, you're wasting your skills. Go find someone who needs the help." I glanced down at my hands and looked up from underneath my thick eyelashes. I knew my eyes were practically flaming and jutted my lower lip out, just a tiny bit. I knew I looked pathetic; sooty, burnt clothes, hair in messy disarray, but I tried anyway. "Now, please?"

The guy's eyes glazed over and he walked over to the other two guys working on Corey. I sighed heavily, trying to brush some stuff off my clothes. I didn't succeed.

I glanced around the schoolyard. Kids were crying, holding each other, hugging each other, praying.

Who had done this?

Who would want to do this to our school.

**A few hours later. The fire has been put out and kids are going home.(same POV)**

I watched kids drive off in ambulances, some in police cars, and others with their parents.

All in all, the fire of Lafayette High had killed three students; two girl's names Kayla and Anna, and a boy named Thomas; two teachers; Mr. Hank and Ms. Sekie.

Twenty-six kids were seriously wounded, or just had mild burns. _Twenty-six_. Fifteen kids had been sent to the hospital. Corey was amongst them.

I felt horrible that Mayla was standing right beside me. She was soaking up all my pain, fear and hurt, from watching Corey go off that way.

I sat down in the grass. I could see the future. My power was back. So why couldn't I stop this from happening?

I remembered what had happened when I ran over to Corey's stretcher. I took his hand in my, begging for him to be alive, begging for him to be okay. The EMT told me had had suffered severe smoke inhalation and dehydration. Had I not brought him then, he could've died. He could've been the fourth.

Just before they loaded him into the back, Corey's eyes fluttered open. He eyes flashed to our clasped hands and then back to my face. "You're not human," he muttered so quietly that I was sure that I was the only one who heard.

Damn Skippy, I wasn't.

**So….. you like? ANYONE???? Review please. I had this spurt of an idea, so I ignored my sprained wrist and typed it!!!!**


	7. Hiding The Truth

**OHMIGOSH!!!!! I just have to finish the epilogue in my other fic and then it will be all THIS. I'm sososososo sorry. Thanks for staying with me!!!! And bratt, you HAVE to review your entire thoughts, kay, chica?! **

**You guys are the best. You and me both deserved this chapter….**

**$!$#$&$&&(()()() ) &!$#!#$#$**

**Roxy POV**

I sat on our roof, feeling more depressed than ever before. Mayla had gone clothes shopping in an obvious attempt to avoid my constantly shifting emotions. I honestly couldn't blame her. Aila was doing everything in her power to try to cheer me up. She even bet that she could eat a 32 ounce tub of CoolWhip. I didn't say anything to that, because, knowing Aila, she'd do it.

I hated to be such a burden to my family, but when has someone ever succeeded in ignoring their feelings?

My head snapped up from its droopy position. Talk about epiphany!

Before I even realized my body was moving, I was sprinting to the hospital. It only took my five minutes, rather than the ½ hour drive. I stopped running just as I walked inside, trying to look as disgruntled and scared as I had felt earlier, when the fire started.

I walked to the desk and begged the nurse there to tell me where Corey's room was. Really, it was just asking repeatedly, locking my eyes with her for a few seconds, before she finally muttered it to me, halfway incoherent.

I skipped the elevator and ran up the stairs to the second floor, the ICU. I was careful not to breath to deeply…. _Way_ careful… There were many sobbing mothers, with fathers with stoic looks on their faces, kids coming out on crutches, a huge grin on their faces, the doctor looking proud, friends signing casts and smiling widely… thank God Mayla was shopping.

I finally found his room. The doctor was just leaving. He saw me staring dejectedly at Corey through the glass and came up beside me. "Are you the girl… who saved him?" I nodded, not trusting my voice. "They told me you might drop by." He stared at me for a second before continuing. "They got him on oxygen as soon as he was situated in the ambulance. His pulse… it was barely there. We got him into the ICU just in time, threw a ventilator on him, cut all the burnt clothes off. He's got stuff for the burns. After about five hours of the ventilator, his body could breathe on its own, but his pulse is constantly sputtering. We have the RN checking every thirty minutes."

He stopped abruptly. "He was awake for about ten minutes. He kept rambling about, 'she's not human. No. she's not. Totally not.' Got anything to say about that?" he raised an eyebrow. I shook my head slowly. He seemed unfazed by my glare. "Are you—"

"Can I see him?" I interrupted. What a nosy doctor. He swung his head to the door, indicating a yes. Before I stepped into the room, I turned and looked him in the eye. "Will he be okay?" I whispered desperately.

He looked down at his clipboard. "We're not totally sure… he's been in and out for a while. And his pulse…" he swallowed. "We lost him twice," he finally finished. "There's so much carbon dioxide in his lungs—we're not sure… if he'll fully recover."

I took a lurching step into Corey's room, ignoring the doctor's wary look.

He looked so helpless. And there was nothing I could do about it. I could barely hear his heartbeat. The feeling… that the thought gave me—it was horrible. I'd never felt so useless in my non-life. So… human.

I wrapped my hand around Corey's, just for some ounce of strength. It was cool, soft, clammy.

"You have to live," I whispered, to no-one in particular. "You… you just have to. I have never felt so alone in a hundred years! And I already have everything I want!" I paused, taking in his unconscious form. "I know you can do it Movie-Star."

I stared at his chest, rising and falling, stuttering occasionally. His breathing was short and shallow; I watched the heart rate monitor.

"Who're you?" a small voice came from the door. I whirled. It was a little girl, no more than eight or nine. She had long golden blonde hair that hung in pigtails, tied up in baby blue ribbons. Her eyes were a soft, intuitive blue-gray.

And she smelled almost exactly the same as Corey. Except it was softer, more flowery, rather than a strong woodsy musk I got from Corey. It was a good thing she was so young; her scent was much softer than it would have been, had she been Corey's age too.

"I'm…uhm…" I stuttered. How was I supposed to introduce myself? "Uh…I'm—"

"You saved him, didn't you?" I didn't say anything. "It's okay," she shrugged. "Momma told me to wait in here for her, but I heard the doctor telling her." Still, I didn't know how to respond. She cocked her head to the side. "You're funny, know that? Do you talk?"

"I'm Roxy," I finally said. Who was this little girl? And why was she talking to me?

"She smiled; one of her teeth was missing. "I'm Holly. I'm his sister." Go figure, kid.

It was quiet for a moment before she shoved herself into the chair beside me. "D'ya think he'll be okay?" she whispered.

"I saw the trust in her eyes, the pleading hopelessness. It was obvious; this girl was clearly attached to her brother.

**KR**

**RK**

**KR**

It was about ten minutes before his mom came in. The scent of all three of them combined was almost too much to bear. But as overwhelming as it seemed, I was determined to be here when Corey woke up.

"You must be Roxanne Neero." I nodded, not trusting my voice. Her eyes were a shimmering blue, and her lips wavered as she continued. "Thank… thank you so much for saving his life. I… I'm in debt to you."

"no, no, no you—"

She cut me off. "No—yes I do. You don't understand. Ever since his father died… I just have to."

"I understand," I mumbled.

"Do you, really?" good grief. Talk about _way_ high-strung woman.

"My parents died when I was little."

She gasped. "Oh dear. I'm so—"

"It's fine." My voice was cut and kept it simple: drop it. Thankfully, she did.

I had no idea how long we sat there. It could have minutes, could've been hours for all I knew. After Holly fell asleep on her mother, she stood up, gave me a soft smile, and carried her sleeping daughter out.

After another twenty minutes—vampire time—a nurse kicked me out so they could do another check-up on Corey. I sat right outside the door in one of those plastic chairs that make your ass feel like brick after sitting still for too long.

And then some random man came and sat right down! As if he knew me or something?! Seriously dude, there are, like, a million other empty chairs!

"How's he doing?" he asked, rubbing one hand over his face. He looked worn, stressed, like he'd been up way too late on a caffeine crash.

"He's doing…wait. Who're you?"

"Corey's father."

My unneeded breath hitched. "But…but you're…._dead_?!"

"As are you," he grinned easily.

I gnashed my teeth, ignoring the crazy looks I got from passerbies. "You mean I can see _dead people?!_" I hissed. He nodded easily, as if I'd just asked him if my eyes were green. "I see fuckin' _dead_ people?!" I couldn't seem to wrap my head around the fact. "I don't _want_ to see _dead_ people! _I'm_ dead!"

And then half the people in the corridor disappeared, including his "father". I blinked. Half the people that I saw in hospitals were _dead_?! No way!

"You can come back in now."

I staggered in, and took my seat again, holding Corey's hand. The _beep, beep, beep,_ of the heart moniter was all that kept me from slipping into myself. It was the sound that kept me surfaced, sure that he was still alive, his heart was still beating… he wouldn't die.

**KR**

**RK**

**RK**

"R-Roxy?" I jerked out of my thoughts, looking around wildly. The window was dark; the full moon high up in the sky. I had no idea how long I'd been there, flipping idly through my thoughts and memories that accompanied them. "Roxy?!" The voice was stronger now, more concerned.

I looked down at Corey. His eyes were wide and the heart rate monitor sped up.

"Hey," I spoke softly. "Chill out, kay? Don't make me call the nurse back in here to sedate you again." Slowly, so very slowly, the heart rate monitor went to it's normal, steady, _beep, beep, beep…_

"Why…what's…you saved me," he finally stammered, point blank. I nodded, holding his eyes. He broke the connection, glancing down at his bandaged hand. "Why?" I blinked. What the frick?! What kind of question was that? I just saved your freaking _life_, kid! A thank-you would do fine? A _hug_ (if he could've moved) would suffice!

"Kit!" A little voice squeaked. Suddenly Holly was there, climbing onto my lap, standing on the arm of my chair. If I moved so much as an inch, the balance would be thrown off. Corey gave a throaty laugh. "Hey kid."

"You're awake! You're awake! You know Rocky? She doesn't talk much. She's _real_ quiet. Right Rocky?" Fittingly, I said nothing, as Holly babbled on. I glanced at Corey's mom. Did she give this girl chocolate or coffee even? I'd never sen a child so ecstatic. Though it might just be the excitement of seeing your sibling actually alive and (somewhat) well.

Corey looked at me. "You're right Holly; I don't think Roxy likes to talk much."

Holly was a about to say something more, but their mother burst through the doors, looking even more ecstatic then Holly, if possible. "oh, oh, Corey! You… you're…oh dear…" she leaned over her son, hands fluttering, a strange emotion overwhelming her voice and face.

"Mom…mo-om…._MOM_!" she yanked back. "I'm fine… R- Roxy woke me up" he saw the glare his mother shot me and corrected himself. 'I mean—I felt her holding my hand."

Silence.

I coughed. "I'm…I'm gonna—"

"No!' Corey cried. I'd never heard such desperation in a human's voice unless they were pleading for their lives or something. Corey's voice had a strangled, depressed tone to it, like he was ready to cry or something

His father appeared on the other side of the bed. "He wants to talk to you—badly," he explained to me, like this was the most obvious thing in the world. I rolled my eyes. No way I was going to have a conversation with a _ghost_.

Corey glanced to his mother. "Could you guys come back in, like, ten minutes? And bring the RN with you?" he asked kindly. I didn't miss the suspicious look his mother shot me as she and Holly walked out of the room, Holly doing this weird, skip/hop thing. He turned to me. "Sorry about my mom. She a bit high-wired."

"Kit?" I retorted, raising an eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes. "It's just this name my dad gave me whenever I was helping him with a project of something. It stuck." He met my eyes for a split second. "How'd you do it?"

I knew exactly what he was talking about and tried not-so-clever evasiveness. "Do what? Get into the hospital? They knew me." He frowned, raising an eyebrow himself. I sighed. Why does it matter, Kit?" his nickname slipped out, but I continued along, getting annoyed now. "I saved your life. A 'thank-you' would be just great."

"All I could remember was you _kicking_ down the door and your skin being so….so _icy_. And—And I couldn't hear your heartbeat when you carried me—and I'm too heavy for an average girl like you to carry! With smoke- inhalation too!"

"Cal him down!" his father urged frantically. "Before he hurts himself or something!"

"Kit, Kit, hush… calm down. You're going to hurt yourself worse." I hushed him and watched as the heart rate monitor, yet again, receded from its climb.

"That's not normal," he whispered, one final argument.

_I'm not normal_ "Listen, you're probably just delirious. Your lungs are healing from carbon dioxide intake and your heart probably isn't getting enough oxygen to your brain." I tried half-heartedly to come up with a reasonable explanation.

He frowned. "This has nothing to do with my oxygen intake! I know what I saw!"

"Maybe you're dehydrated."

"I'm plenty hydrated. I know what I saw."

"And if you were hallucinating?" I countered.

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"I never said that."

"You're implying it."

"And, what, you can suddenly read my mind?!" I was incredulous. This boy did _not_ want to go there. I'd had enough with crazy, psycho people (vampires) that could read my mind.

He huffed. "I think _you're_ the one lying. At least you're not telling me something."

"Why does it matter?" I sighed. "I saved your life." Couldn't he just give this up?

He held my eyes. "Because I don't like having things kept from me. I'd rather you lay it on me in the blunt truth."

_And have you run away screaming_. I rolled my eyes. "Too bad. Life keeps things away from you. Get over it."

The door opened again and the nurse bustled in with Corey's mom and his sister in tow. Holly leaned over Kit, kissed his bandaged shoulder, and then his hand." "What're you doing kid?" he laughed. I could hear the strained tightness in it.

"Kissing it better!" she squeaked. I watched as her mom winced slightly. Was there something I was missing?

"Your heart rate got a little high there," the RN observed, snacking the read-out. She raised a questioning eyebrow to the two of us, as if I had something to do about it

I did.

But she didn't really need to know that.

Corey shrugged and winced when he realized he shouldn't move his shoulder. "Got a bit of a scare. Didn't know if one of my friends had mad it out okay."

The nurse nodded, as if she really cared about it. Which, she totally didn't. Even without her power, Mayla could've seen that. "Well, Dr. Mackey will come in soon to give you the overview of your injuries, and your suspected discharge date."

An unseen cloud of silence settled over the room, each of us in our own fidgety bubble. Until Holly finally twitched, and blurted, "Did your school _explode?!_"

Corey coughed out a laugh. "Naw. Only half."

Their eyes held for a moment, and Holly's smile slipped. "You'll be okay," she promised. "Cuz you're my brother." I saw her eyes well up in tears.

Instantly, anyone at this exact moment could see the connection between them. It was more than brother- sister. It was loyal, trustworthy, best friends. At first glance, you'd figure, oh, just another annoying little sister and jockey big bro. But what I was seeing now, was caring big brother who'd beat the shit out of anyone who messed with his little sister, who'd hold her when she cried, even if he wasn't much of the emotional type. I found myself even getting a little choked up at this Hallmark commercial.

The door swung open again and Dr. Mackey stepped in. He had that look on his face; the embarrassed, (I think I jut intruded on something) look. He coughed and asked, "How you feeling Corey?"

"I've had my better days," Corey replied. He looked like he had to think twice about not shrugging. The doctor began to check hiss bandages, glancing at his heart rate read out every so often.

"Well… it looks like your shoulder got smashed into something. Were you nearby the explosion?"

Corey's eyes flashed to mine and I silently begged him not to say it. "Uhm… yeah. A door got flung open to mine." I imagined that he probably easily remembered me, throwing him to the ground, in a half-hearted attempt not to see him go up in flames.

"mmhhmm…" he nodded. "Your knee did you—?"

"Backdraft knocked me and a few other kids into a flaming desk. Or a few."

"Ahhh….you've got a few minor bruises on your head, as far as the catscans are showing. Minor burns on your back and arms. When we discharge you, maybe in a few or more days, you'll be given some ointment to put on every morning and evening. Loose clothing is suggested for the first two weeks." Sounded like Corey wouldn't be smelling normal for a _long_ while.

XXX

After another thirty minutes, his mom finally left, Holly nodding off on her lap. Corey looked at me. "Why are you still here?"

I put my face in my hands. "Please don't ask me that," I mumbled.

"Fine. Why'd you save me?" his voice was hard, bitter. "How?"

My head snapped up. "You're really bothering me, know that? I'm telling you, you probably hallucinated half of if."

"You're lying."

I ran my fingers through my hair, yet didn't deny it, _he_ probably noticed too. "Can't you just shut up and go back to sleep and heal like a normal person?"

"Not until I found out what you are."

My eyes flashed. What was with the "what" in there?! "You mean _who._" I corrected through gritted teeth.

He frowned. "Ye—no…no. I mean what."

"Well that _sucks_," I nearly screamed. "I'm just like every-fuckin'- one else!"

His eyes softened suddenly. It shook my guard, staggering me. I'd just _sworn_ at him?! "Prove it." To that, I had nothing, surprisingly. "Exactly, I _will_ find out."

"Fine then," I snarled menacingly. "I hope you don't mind disappointment, because _you won't find anything!_" I couldn't keep the venom out of my voice as I walked out the door.

**Didn't mean to end it so angry.**

**Roxy: IM PISSED!!! Of **_**course**_** you ended it angrily!**

**(blinks) Uhm….. yeah….. about that…… (steps away)**

**Roxy: Stupid. Youc cant get away!!!! IM IN YOUR HEAD!!!!!!!!!!**

**Me: uh….shit. she's right. Bratt, its almost as bad as u n Emily!!!!!!!**

**Roxy: of course I'm right. (crosses arms) I always am. Now shut up and start working on the next chapter before these people kill you.**

**Sorry guys, I had to end the chapter sometime, so……. Yeah.**

**Hope this was long enough to sate you for a while. And…… whoever left that review with…. "wanting a smut" don't count on it. I don't write smut. End of discussion.**

**BBL**


	8. Confusion X4

So…I ended that pretty angry last time, huh

**So…I ended that pretty angry last time, huh?! (Shoves Roxy away) Well…..here's for some boy confusion, kaykay? **

**Ohkay.**

_**Kit POV**_

I watched Roxy nearly run from my room, settling my mind with enough confusion to send the CIA scrambling.

Whatever that means.

What the hell _was _she?! I mean, there was definitely something peculiar about her and her twinsy friends. First, her hands were _freezing_. _She_ was freezing. No person could be actually_ alive_ with skin that cold. And, I mean, maybe I wasn't totally conscious or…well. That was it. I wasn't fully awake at all. But I can _swear_ that she didn't have a heartbeat.

Whoa. Sounds weird.

But seriously! Every person, girl, boy, man, woman…_thing_ has a heartbeat. She does _not_. On top of that—how was she able to carry me? All the way from my history class to the parking lot?

Impossible. Totally impossible for a seventeen year old girl who'd probably been inhaling smoke for thirty minutes. I'd been drifting in and out of consciousness for a while, and I knew that she'd stayed with me the entire time. I knew that she carried me pretty far, after sitting in a smoke-hung room for how long.

Why did this bug me _so much?_

I mean, I was the most popular kid at my old school, and here, I'm practically invisible to anyone but the junior, sophomore, and senior girls. Well, the freshmen notice me and I do my best not to notice _them_.

But out of _all_ the girls to catch my eyes, it _had_ to be the one who sits with her own family, eats a pack of _gum_ for a meal, is pale as all hell, freezing, and can lift an eighteen year old guy?

Yeah, out of all the luck in the world.

The next week in the hospital was hell. A white, sterile hell, that is. My shoulder was cracked, my knee almost shattered and I had bruises littering my body. Mom and Holly came to visit me all the time, but I was distant, irritable.

"When can he get his crutches?" I heard mom asking Dr. Mackey. "He's a soccer player. He likes to be on his feet." Likes? More like _needs_.

"He'll need to be careful…" I snorted. Careful. I'll push myself as far as I want. I don't need some old guy in a white coat and barf green gloves telling me what to do.

It was also hell because Roxy didn't come back. At all. And maybe it was because I was still a bit delirious, but I can _swear_ I can still smell her.

Yeah, _smell_ her. She smelled like candy…Jolly Ranchers. Sweet, almost edible.

I nearly choked on the meal the nurse brought me. Did I really just think that? What kind of teenaged perv was I becoming? Good God?! I hardly _knew_ her. All I know is that she _can't_ be human, she's noticeably beautiful, and she smells like Jolly Ranchers.

Peculiar.

I sighed, putting the tray of food on the end table, nearly dropping it in the process. My shoulder didn't really have quite a wide range of motion. I'd get the cast off in another month, and then two months of phys. Therapy. For my knee _and _shoulder.

When I finally got out of the hospital, I was so antsy, that just because I could, I would pace back forth in my room on my crutches until I was out of breath and the rashes under my arms were burning.

I would never hurt my legs ever again. This _sucked_.

_**Roxy POV**_

Mayla was home when I got there. She took a staggering step back when I blew in, probably catching full force, my anger. "I'll be upstairs." Very faintly, I heard the Wii go on, and Aila turning on the X-box to play guitar hero.

Great. I was chasing away my family. I needed to get better control of my moods. I sighed, walking up the stairs.

I skipped school for the week. Mayla and Aila were concerned about withholding our "_We're not undead, we're just like the rest of you…we just don't have a heartbeat" _image. I said the image, I'm not going t school and I'd like to see you try and stop me.

Mayla's stubbornness, for once, lost. Me, one. Mayla, none.

Right now I was lying flat on my back on my bed, staring up at the ceiling with no apparent interest. Hey, what could I say, I wanted nothing to do with _anything _right now, and that included thinking. Because thinking always led to one thing. One _person_. A person I do did not want to think about.

"Rain, you need to stop this," I had heard Mayla's silent approach to my bedroom door, that I had left slightly ajar, but I did not pay any attention to it. If she wanted to try and be some silent women version of spider man, well, that was just her problem.

"Nothing to talk about," I muttered, still savoring the fact that she had lost for once. I had gotten my way, and I was pretty sure it would irk her sooner of later.

"There is a lot to talk about. Like the fact you are acting like a corpse, lying here all day, hardly even moving. _I _haven't even been getting emotions off of you, and just a while ago you came into this house with enough emotion to knock to roof off of the house. Now, you are as dead as dead can be."

"Ha, ha, you are so funny I just forgot to laugh." She smiled, feeling my slight spike of irritation, pleased at having provoked me. I turned over, giving her my back to talk to, and she sighed, coming into the room and sitting beside me on the bed.

"Look, I am not going to let you be such a corpse anymore, you are going back to school. We all are, we do not want to raise suspicion." But I cut her off.

"What _suspicion_? For crying out loud, we are there every day, we have never missed a single day in years. We get perfect grades, we never get in trouble, we are well known by all the of the teachers." I just wanted her to leave me alone. But I did not see it happening for a little while.

"Exactly. We have not missed a single day in years. How do you think that is going to fair? People will wonder why."

"Oh, please. We are allowed to have family emergencies, or just getting sick!" Mayla was silent for a moment, and then she sighed again.

"Okay, fine, but just don't keep yourself locked up forever. Me and Aila miss you being with us to give all those school guys your 'you can look but you sure as hell cant touch' look." And she left, leaving me, finally, totally a lone.

"I am never going back," I muttered, just soft enough to where no one would hear it, and I rolled onto my stomach. "I can't go back, I can't face . . ." _Him_, my mind tagged on, and I sighed, shutting my eyes.

And what do you know, _perfect_ time for a freaking vision.

"Please, Corey!" I begged, tears thick in my voice, even as they made paths down my cheeks. Me? Crying?

"_Please don't cry, Rain," Corey whispered, a pained look coming over his face as he reached out with gentle fingers and touched my tear-stained cheek. Despite my best efforts, I leaned slightly into his fingers, causing them to brush clear across my cheek and graze the other._

"_Then please do not ask me," I pleaded, swallowing hard, trying to get rid of the tears._

"_I have to know, I can't stay in the dark anymore. I cannot stand by anymore, merely brushing into you once in awhile, seeing your face at school, the way you smile at me when we speak. There is so much about you I want to know, and I know this is the beginning of it all." His voice was determined but compassionate._

"_Why do you want to know me?" I backed away from him, and it brought more of the place were in to my eyes. It looked like we were in an empty classroom at school, the windows lit up by the noon sun. Lunchtime?_

"_Because, friends deserve to know friends."_

"_You know enough already! I can't tell you! The secret it not mine alone to tell. Please, just accept that, please do not push me to do something I will regret." We would either have to leave, or he would have to go. Neither was bearable, but the secret had to stay that way, a secret._

"_Who else must you ask just to tell me this? Your family? Fine, I can wait, but do not think this will chase me away, Rain. I will not give up until I know what you are," and, faster than I would have thought possible, he leaned forward and swiftly kissed my brow, pressing all of his heat and scent against my body. He took one long look into my eyes, brushing my tears away with his thumb, and then he was gone, his cast off and his leg good as new._

I jerked up, taking sharp breaths and glancing around, almost surprised to find myself in my own room at home, not in that empty classroom where my vision had taken me. With a trembling hand, I reached up to touch the place where he had kissed, almost expecting to feel the heat from his lips. That swift touch was full of purpose and promise. He meant what he had said, just as I had meant what I had said. I had to try and stop this vision from coming true, and if I stayed here to avoid him any longer, he would no doubt come looking for me. Or he would know I was avoiding him and start making shots in the dark as to why. And sometimes the human mind can come too damn close to the truth.

"Um, Mayla?" I called out in a weak voice, surprise still gripping me. I had to go back to school; I had to stop him from asking me. "I think I will go to school tomorrow!"

_**Kit POV**_

I swiftly slammed my locked shut, glaring down at my own cast as I slung my book bag over my shoulder and slipped my crutches under arms, pushing down with all my weight as I began my way slowly through the emptying halls.

When I made it to the door I expected my eyes to sweep along Roxy's seat and find no one there, considering she had not been to school since that little talk at the hospital. But she surprised me; she was sitting at her desk with her head down on her arms, her eyes closed.

I crept closer, not at all silent, hoping she would at least look up at me so I could see those eyes of hers once again. But she did not even notice me, mumbling to herself under her breath.

The teacher swept into the room as the bell rang, denying me my opportunity to speak up and ask her if she was all right. I sighed in new irritation, forced to take my seat behind her. Let me tell you, being just inches from her with her smelling so wonderful was a whole different type of hell.

I slid down in my seat, totally forgetting my cast, and they hit her books, causing them to fall over and litter the floor around her desk. The sound snapped her out of her little bubble and she spun around with a full out glare on her face, but stopped short when her eyes met mine.

"Sorry," I said softly, when we had both sat there for what seemed like ages but had only been seconds. Her mouth was moving, but no words were coming out, and I highly doubt it was from my manly charm what was locked up in a tight bottle inside me at the moment.

"No, its fine," she sputtered; picking up her books one by one so fast it was a blur. I went to say something else, but the teacher told us in a grumpy voice to stop talking so I leaned back, glaring at him when he turned his back.

And let me tell you, not hearing her voice, now that _was_ hell.

**So……been a while huh? For all who've stuck with me, you totally rock! Now, I have to be humble here—for the second part of the chapter, you can thank ****Vampiregirl25**** for it, because I knew I had to post again before April ,so she helped me and came up with the rest. The idea for the vision was mine, but the rest came from the creative crevices of her wonderful mind! Ur the best chica!**


	9. Tantalizing questions

Hmmm…… hoped u guys enjoyed the last chapter

**Hmmm…… hoped u guys enjoyed the last chapter? Wasn't quite sure cuz the amount of reviews was…a bit disappointing, to say the least. But, carry on!**

_**Roxy POV**_

Holy shit. How had I not smelled him when he came in? Wow. That was something new. I took a deep breath, despite the sudden flare of temptation behind me. Multiple smells were everywhere. The school still smelled slightly of smoke and explosives; of excitement. Kids were still in mourning—many of them were pretty ditzy, not focusing on half the words Mr. Sloan was saying. I rolled my eyes. History—what was the point of this class again? Abso-frigging-lutely nothing of _any_ of it had _any_thing to do with us.

I could here Corey's labored breathing behind me. It sounded like he was trying to breathe normally, but kept taking deep breaths, as if smelling the air.

Perfect.

It was probably the longest class of my life. I had started fiddling with my pencil somewhere in the middle of the class, but gave up on focusing on anything when I snapped it clean in half, and left a dent in my history book. I prayed that Corey didn't see; he didn't need anymore evidence than what he had already.

The rest of the day was living hell as well.

I knew that I was being cowardice, and I knew that Mayla and Aila would never let me live it down, but I skipped lunch. I totally bailed on going into the cafeteria. No, I wasn't scared I was going to eat one of the children, and no, I wasn't hiding.

Well, maybe I was. Just a little though. I had homework to catch up on.

As I was leaving for the last class of the day, I turned the corner—and ran into him. For the first time ever, vampire reflexes had failed on me. As soon as I met his eyes, I felt my heart drop. They were filled with a miserable ness that I never knew that a human could know.

I dropped my eyes to my shoelaces. "Sorry," I mumbled half-heartedly.

I walked around him, walking away.

"Roxy," he called from behind me. Out of polite habit, I turned. "Hi?" his voice was filled with hurt, his dark eyes pained. Oddly enough, I wished that there was something to do about it. I nodded, and then turned. I don't think I could've said anything coherent anyway, even if I tried.

**Corey's POV**

I watched as she walked silently back down the hallway. Strangely, I felt a stinging behind my eyes, and my heart gave a tug. Why wasn't she talking to me? Was it because of that fight we'd had in the hospital? That was nearly three weeks ago! Huh. Four more weeks till I got my casts off. Maybe she wasn't talking to me because she knew that—inadvertently, of course—that she'd done this to me. But she'd saved me from much worse! Maybe she just didn't like seeing me like this.

Would I be able to last that long without talking to her?

I sighed, hobbling to the front doors, outside to where mom and Holly were, presumably waiting for me.

When I got out the doors, I could see Holly sitting up in the front seat, bouncing, talking animatedly. I slid into the backseat, pulling the buckle over my hips. Holly was babbling on about some field trip she'd went on today. I looked at mom. She was smiling enthusiastically as she drove, replying occasionally to my little sisters' babble.

But under the pretense, I could the tiredness, the hope to just go home and sleep. I'd handle dinner tonight, crutches or not. Mom worked herself too much, and many a day I worried what that kind of pressure was doing to her.

I shut my eyes, but the moment I did it, I instantly regretted it. Roxy's angry, haunted face danced behind my eyelids. The look in her eyes before she'd stalked out of the hospital that day. To this day, it was still in my dreams almost every night.

As we pulled into the driveway, and I opened my eyes, mom gave me a meaningful look in the rearview mirror. Yup, I was doing dinner tonight.

Holly was still talking and as I crutched myself to the front door, I wondered how an eight year old could talk for so long without taking a single breath. How did she fit in the time to _breathe_?

"Do you have homework, kid?" I asked tiredly, as mom went upstairs. Of course. Bedtime at… I looked at the clock—three forty-five. Holly finally stopped talking long enough to think.

"Uh….some math. But it's just addition and subtraction. We got a test comin' up soon." She opened her mouth to continue but I cut her off.

"What do you want for dinner? I'll make it while you do your homework."

She blinked. "Uh…can I haves some mac n cheese?"

"Okay," I nodded. "Do your homework at the table, kay? Momma's tired, and I don't want you playing music or anything and waking her up."

"Okeydoke," she replied easily.

As I made her dinner and she struggled through her homework, my mind wandered.

I just prayed that it didn't wander too far.

**Roxy POV**

Why. Why did I have to do such a stupid thing? Why couldn't I just say 'hey'? What was so hard about that? One syllable, not even two vowels? _What the # was wrong with me_??

I sat down on my bed, un-needed, of course, but still good to have. I pulled my knees to my chest, shaking with an unfamiliar emotion. It was drowning me, all but overwhelming me with it. What was it? I couldn't seem to put my finger on it.

I shut my eyes, and for a fleeting moment, I wished I could sleep. I wished that I could just drift into the relief of nothingness, to just get out of reality for a while, a reality that used to be so great, that I could handle any and every day.

Until that damn vision.

But—what if I _hadn't_ seen it? Would it have changed anything? Would Corey be dead? Would I have gotten any chance to save him, get to know him at all?

My head hurt.

This wasn't the first I'd chase myself around with endless questions.

I could sit there all night, wondering what would happen if I wasn't a vampire. Tonight, that was the second most nagging question ever.

Why did I have to become a vampire? Was there was underlying _point_ to this whole damnation issue? And why were people so against it? Why couldn't I take a moon bath _every_ night, and smile wide _all_ the time? Was there something so wrong with a little difference??

Okay, maybe it wasn't so _little_. It was freakin' huge. But what was so bad about it? Well, we could suck you dry in four seconds—but what if we didn't _want_ to? But how would people know that…

I clenched my teeth.

The real question was:

Was there an actual _reason_ that I had that vision??

**Sorry it's been so long guys. My life just sort of flushed itself for a while. Yeahh….that sounded weird. But, just review please! I think I'm getting back into my swing!!**


	10. SlipUp number one

So…

**So…..I wonder if anyone liked the last chapter. Hardly anything….but Im not complaining. I swear. Believe me, if I were, you'd know.**

**I also need to know something. ****Who would you rather learn more about, (a) Corey's life, or (b) Roxy (Rain)'s life?? **

**Ssoo…..here goes nothing.**

_**Corey's POV**_

The doctor was staring at my X-rays like a man would stare at a…model. He looked awed, shocked, confused…about to hurl? I was staring at them too. What was so special? What had him looking like that?

"Well," he cleared his throat suddenly, composing his face. "This is odd. I've never seen anything like this in all my years of schooling."

Mom grabbed his arm, shaking it frantically, about to knock over the doctor himself. "Tell me! What are you talking about? Is he okay? Is he going to be alright?!" Even Holly was looking at mom like she was on drugs. Her little eight year old eyebrows were raised, and she met my eyes. With the perfect dramatic effect to it, she rolled her eyes, sighing.

I couldn't stifle my laugh.

Both mom and Doctor Mackey turned towards me. "Uhh… Holly was making faces," I blurted.

"Was not!" she huffed, crossing her little arms and glaring in the other direction. Another laugh escaped.

"Doctor," mom pleaded. "Please. Seriously."

He pulled his head up, trying to look professional, no doubt. "Well. It's convenient that we're taking the casts off today, but most of the time, when they come off, the body is a few days away from completely healing the bone. His," he tapped my X-ray again, the line that split right through my bone. "Healed right away."

His eyes turned to me. I fought to look slightly innocent. "Anything specific you were doing Mr. Treyman?"

I leaned back on my good arm, tracing the cracks in the ceiling. "Ahh….no, not really. I don't recall. I just followed all the rules."

"Did not!" Holly blurted again. I glared at her, trying to make her stop. She turned to face the doctor, young face eager to rat out her older brother. "I would always hear him walking across his room on the weekends for hours an hours! It was _so_ annoying! I told 'im I'd tell. But he din't believe me!" she looked at me, sticking her tongue out. "So _ha_!"

What a cute kid. A cute kid that I really felt like strangling at the moment.

"Kit!" Mom's voice was accusing. "You…"

"Actually," Dr. Mackey cleared his throat again, cutting mom off. "It's weird, because with most patients, putting pressure on the injury makes it worse, but in Corey's case…it helped him."

I shrugged my good shoulder. "Maybe cuz I'm a soccer player. Y'know, the fact that my legs are stronger, that could've…." I trailed off. They were both looking at me funny. Then they went back to talking, but in more hushed tones.

It'd been a month since that last "tiff" with Roxy. Even since then, I'd only been running into her occasionally, sitting in front of her in history, across from her in Art, and studying her at lunch.

It was horrible.

The little brush-bys did nothing to sate my hunger to know her more, they just fueled it. I didn't know why she wouldn't talk to me. I knew she was mad about what had happened in the hospital—but that was two months ago! Couldn't she let it go?!

Eventually, they got past the shock and took my cast off. I'll leave the gooey details to me and my tormented mind.

The next day I went back to school, slightly unsteady due to the lessened weight of my cast. I had no idea how many times I'd tripped, or fallen.

I sat down in Art, putting my books on the floor, and resting my head in my arms. I was exhausted. Physical therapy was kicking my butt, Holly was trying to figure out why I was being so "weird" and mom was working constantly.

"Are….are you okay?" A soft, velvet voice asked. I tensed, almost nervous to see who it was. But it didn't matter. I knew that voice….it'd cussed me out when I was in the hospital.

I raised my head, my eyes meeting hers. They were guarded, but I could see the concern alight in her eyes.

"Why does it matter?" I blurted. Whoops. He face shut down and she threw her things down on the table, throwing herself down in the seat across from me. She looked at me through pink and brown bangs.

The silence grew longer as more and more students filtered in the room. Her eyes stared straight into mine, never wavering. I felt a flush creep up my neck before she finally spoke again. "I don't know," her voice was soft, not so incoherent to be called a mumble, but more of a murmuring to herself.

I was _so_ in over my head.

_**Roxy POV**_

Why did I have to do Art class? I'd already done, like, a zillion times. My artwork was always being displayed. And now Mr. Moviestar was being an ass. I had followed him from history to Art. He was walking funny; his cast was gone. If I had a heart, it would have clenched upon itself. How long till the vision came true?

He tripped once or twice and my whole being ached to reach out and help him. He was so unsteady on his feet, without the extra weight of the cast.

And then, I couldn't help it. I had to say something. And then it turned and bit me in the ass.

And it turns out Mr. Moviestar isn't much of a movie star after all. He had his downfalls. I frowned. One of which being me.

"Roxy?" Corey's voice was soft, questioning, hesitant. I looked at him, dropping my guard for two seconds.

He did the same. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I'm in a bad mood. I've been tripping and running into things all day. And Phys. Therapy's a pain in the ass."

_Seems to be a lot of that going around_.

I shrugged. Just then, Aila came bounding into the room, cutting in front of everyone else to toss her agile body into the –normally empty—seat next to me. "Hi Rain!" she squealed. "I had to join this class, cause it's Art, y'know? And I _really_ missed it from our elementary days. Remember when we made those paper Mache **(sp?) ** fish we made and I threw mine at that kid…oh, what was his name?" she snapped her fingers, frowning.

I had to say, it was a pretty good play. I knew his name. Jimmy Tenders. Aila had told this story many times and I had it basically committed to memory. Corey was looking at her with an almost amused look on his face.

"Oh!" Aila's head snapped up. "Jimmy! That was it, right, Rain?" she looked at Roxy with an expectant look on her face.

"Rain?" Corey finally piped up.

I threw a glare at Aila but she completely ignored it. "Yeah, Rain. We came up with it when she first came to live with us. Roxanne Anita Isabel Neero. Pretty cool, huh?"

Thank God or whoever, because just then the teacher came in, a gentle smile on his face, clapping his hands and telling the class to shut up.

My lips quirked into an automatic smile. I loved gay teachers.

#!#(()()&(&#!#

I walked down the hallway, glad that I'd convinced Aila and Mayla to let me take my own car for the day—especially after Aila's little stunt in Art. What was she doing? I had my money on the fact that they were probably planning something, devious little….vampires.

Just as I walked out the front doors, I saw Corey leaning against the wall, cell phone dangling in one hand, looking hopeless. He rubbed a hand over one face and I saw how tired he really was. Once again, I began to ache for him.

"Corey?" I called out hesitantly. My voice rang out across the yard and his head snapped up to stare at me. I walked towards him, slow; trying to ignore whatever emotion was being dug up inside of me. "Do you have a ride? The late buses already…" I stopped. I was about to say something he probably already knew.

I had years of unfathomable experience in upset humans. Decades, actually. Centuries….yadda, yadda. But none of that had prepared me for what I saw in Corey's eyes when he met mine. When he did, I felt an unconscious tug that just about sent me sprawling towards him. His eyes were alight with unshed tears, dark with an emotion that I didn't want to dig up.

"No," he finally replied. "My mom's still at work, my sister's sleeping over at her friends house and—" his voice cracked suddenly and he stopped. "No," he repeated softly.

I almost felt like crying? Was I gaining Mayla's power or something? I was never this…sensitive.

"C'mon," I murmured. "I'll give you a ride." Just as I said that, the air tensed up suddenly and I knew exactly what he was about to say. "Yes, I'm sure. I'm not about to abandon someone out here, especially when there's about to be a storm."

"What?" he asked as I practically dragged him to my car the sleeve of his shirt. "No way. It's beautiful out."

Right. Whoops. Wasn't supposed to let that slip. I'd had another vision at lunch and it involved me sitting down in my car, looking at the time just as lighting split the sky.

I unlocked the doors, throwing my backpack into the back, Corey propping his against his knees.

I stuck my key into the ignition, the car purring to life. My eyes meandered down to the clock: 3:23

At that exact moment, Corey breathed, "Holy shit…"

I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. The only thing that I seemed to process was the smell of his _blood_. In such a small enclosed space—it was suffocating me, my thought processes. Oh no, oh no, oh no.

I began to get dizzy, something inside me that I had no idea existed, waking up. I had to –_get out of here_. I needed to—_drink from him._ No! I've got to—_ get the fuck out of here!!_

No! I was torn. I'd just promised him a car ride home. And he couldn't walk all the way to his house on a healing leg through the middle of a thunderstorm!

I rolled down the window. Cool, damp air filtered in through the car. "Uh…where do you live?" I asked.

He told me his address and I pulled out of the parking lot a lot more careful than I felt. I tried to refrain from breathing, because it wasn't like I had to….it still felt weird. His scent in such an enclosed space lingered in the back of my throat.

As I sped down the roads, Corey took in the rapidly increasing clouds. "How'd you know it was going to storm?" he asked. "Even the weatherman said it was going to be a good day.

"Bad feeling," I lied. "There were no animals out—that's obviously a sign." _Please don't notice_, I pleaded in my head, tightening my grip on the steering wheel.

He frowned, but didn't say any more.

I pulled onto his street, and I felt the air clog with the same tension as before.

Why didn't I want him to leave?

**So…..so far so good? Plleeeaaassseeee review?! Lol. I'm going to camp tomorrow for 7 days. I hope to have lots to look forward to when I come home!!**

**-BBL**


	11. The Mind Wanders

I feel so ditched…

**I feel so ditched…..but here's the next chapter anyway.**

_**Corey POV**_

As Roxy slowly pulled into my driveway, I felt her tense up beside me, even though there was the console between us. I could see her knuckles clenching tightly to the steering wheel. When my eyes flashed up to her face, her features were twisted with indecision and anger. I frowned. Was she….?

"So…why do your sisters call you Rain?" I asked, just trying to break the icy silence.

Her eyes flicked over to me. "I don't like being called Roxanne, sometimes I don't answer to Roxy, so they just added up the initials to my full name."

I nodded. "You have a cool name," I offered up. My words seemed to float away.

She looked at me from the corner of her eyes. "Thanks," she replied stiffly.

With that, I figured that was my dismissal. I grabbed my backpack, struggling with my crutches and trying to get the door open all at once.

Roxie's face twisted and she began a slew of apologies. She snatched my backpack from me, and went to open my door for me.

Maybe it was just drug induced slowness, or maybe it really did happen. But my mind processed two things at once. She was out of the car in a blur, no lie. And the second she opened my door for me—hers was shutting. Like I said, maybe it was drug-induced slowness—or was she really that fast?

I looked at her, holding the door patiently open for me. I gawked at her. "How'd you—did you? What the—? What just…?! You just…!" Her brows arched as she looked at me with confusion.

"Corey," she said softly. Hearing my name upon her lips I stopped babbling. "We need to get you inside. It's going to start raining." Suddenly her hazel eyes were a burning gold.

Every previous thought—her door?—was erased. I had no idea what I'd just been blabbering on about. Her eyes seemed to be burning right through me—my thought processes.

I climbed out of the car, hobbling my way to the front door. I dug my keys out of my pocket and watched helplessly as they fell to the ground. Roxy's hand shot out, catching them inches from hitting the cement.

She leaned up slowly, my keys dangling from her long, pale fingers. "Here," she breathed, her breath whispering across my senses. If I'd thought she smelled….good, before—that was nothing compared to _this_.

And I know how weird that sounded, but I couldn't resist it. She smelled delicious, like candy dipped in honey and rolled in honeysuckle. All in all, she was like a walking temptation for any guy who had a sweet tooth.

Even as the embarrassed perverted ness of the thought hit me—I couldn't shake myself to stop staring at her. She plucked my hand from clenching my sweatshirt and slipped my keys into it, curling my fingers around them.

"Door?" her voice snapped me out of my reverie, thoughts bombarding my brain. Blood flooded my cheeks as I unlocked an opened the door.

"Thank you," I finally said, extracting my backpack from her grip.

Her molten yellow eyes met mine as she replied, "You're very welcome," before leaping down the stairs and striding to her car.

I don't have any clue why her grace had surprised me now. All these weeks, I'd been focused on _her_, her avoidance, her glare, her strange style—yet it was _now_ that I realized her beautiful walk, long legs, and sinuous body frame. She looked small enough to _snap_.

I shut the door, dazed.

And had Holly crash into my with force equivalent to a St. Bernard. Wasn't she…? "Hey? Weren't you supposed to sleep over at Felicity's tonight?" I asked, sucking in a breath.

Her arms were wound around my waist, squeezing the life out of me.

"Well. I called mom and she said Felicity could sleep over here tonight." She sounded absolutely ecstatic.

I felt like I'd just been run over.

I'd been planning on locking myself in my room and repeatedly hitting my head on the wall until I was sure I'd get a concussion.

When I realized that Holly wasn't babbling on, I glanced down at her. Her arms were still locked around my waist, except her chin was pressed to my chest, looking up at me, silver/blue eyes gazing up at me.

"I miss him too, Kit," she murmured. To my surprise I felt my eyes begin to sting. She took a deep breath. "I heard mommy talking about how you're hanging out with a girl. She's so _happy_."

Holly's knowing eyes continued staring at me. "I know you like her Kit. Whoever she is. I saw her on the porch before she drove away."

"I can't talk about this with you," I finally said, trying to detangle myself from her arms. But, _damn_, she was strong for an eight year old. Why couldn't she be a dainty ballet dancer? No, she had to go and get her green belt in karate, and beat up boys in her class. High school would be hell for this girl.

"Kit," she persisted. She buried her face in my shirt, and I could feel it dampen slightly. "I love you, "she mumbled.

And that just broke my heart. I dropped my backpack, and despite my healing leg, I lifted her into my arms, holding her to me. I stroked my fingers through her thick blonde hair. She buried her face in my neck, squeezing me tighter.

"I'm sorry kid," I murmured.

She pulled back, her tiny brows pulling together. "I also heard mommy saying you blamed yourself."

I stared at her, wondering how she heard all of this. The little girl was an eavesdropper! "I can't talk about this with you," I repeated, setting her down.

Her silver-blue eyes were shining, wet with unshed tears. "Okay," she finally surrendered. I watched her turn and wander down the hallway to the living room where, presumably, Felicity was.

I hobbled up the stairs, halfway thankful not to have the burden of my crutches with me.

I spread out on my bed, doing homework until Felicity came to tell me Holly was attempting to make Macaroni. I ran down the stairs as fast as a cripple could.

I supervised their dinner, grabbed a granola bar and went back upstairs.

Around ten (after finishing reading for L.A, eight problems for pre-calc, and daydreaming like an idiot about Rain) I finally laid down, trying to doze off. Felicity and Holly were downstairs, squealing and shrieking around the sounds of DDR.

I stretched out, feeling the ice bag I'd set on my knee an hour ago—with water seeping through it now.

I couldn't get comfortable. And I doubted that it was the icy water dribbling down my leg.

_**Roxy POV**_

I wandered through the woods, feeling the moon at my back, sifting through my hair, soaking deep into my pores.

It wasn't a full moon—that was yesterday—but it was enough.

I couldn't stop thinking about Corey. It was the only reason I was out of the house this late and not hunting. Mayla began to complain that she felt as if her head were being thrown around. Indecisiveness.

I didn't know myself anymore. I felt this _pull_ towards him—and yes, a big part of it was his _blood_—but there was something else.

I just wished I knew what it was.

**So…..I feel **_**really**_** ditched, so please review. Yes, it will be getting a lil' more interesting next chappy. That's when the vision happens…..**

**Damn. I just totally gave it away. Oh well!**


	12. Conversations in A Classroom

So…

**So….I know I totally gave away the point of this chapter in the last chapter, but it is interesting! I hope you all like it……**

**Roxy's POV**

I felt strong, rejuvenated, and able to conquer the world if needed.

See what comes out of a moon bath?

I walked down the hallways of the school, grateful for the moon bath on Friday. It usually lasted for a good week, putting me in a slightly better mood for a while at least. Monday had gone by well enough.

Aila sat with Corey and me during Art, babbling on while making a sketch. Corey glanced at me often, smiling occasionally. I couldn't help the answering smile that grew on my lips.

Mayla watched our interactions from afar. There were times that Corey stood by my locker, chatting about trivial things, such as the upcoming test in L.A, the ridiculous amount of homework we get in history (who cares?), and now and then about how his phys. Therapy pisses him off.

I never asked her what emotions she felt in the air because I seriously did not want to know. I just….wanted to feel human.

Was that it? Was that why I was so…._attracted_ to Kit? He ignored my abnormalities and treated me like a regular person. He didn't care that I was a social freak, he didn't care that I never ate, and he didn't pry for information that I wouldn't give. When I was with him, I wasn't…a vampire. I was….somebody. A person.

The being in me scoffed at the word. _You're not human. You're nowhere _near_ human. You never will be._ I shuddered; trying to drown out the insults my mind was throwing at me. _And the only people you'd ever be a _somebody_ to are Aila and Mayla. They're the ones who put you out of your fucking misery._

I gnashed my teeth, walking down the hallway. Of course, moon baths only lasted as long as your mind let them.

It was only Tuesday and it was the first time in almost a year that I felt compelled to skip lunch.

_There's no reason for you to go to lunch anyways. Who are you trying to fool_?

Tears erupted in my eyes, surprising me. How long had it been since I'd cried? Decades, at least. I was just over a century old. How many vampire's can go that long without crying?

Most of them, actually.

I shoved through crowds of kids, trying to get out of human eyesight before making a mortal embarrassment of myself. (pun not intended). I think I passed Mayla, but I shrugged her off, muttering some pathetic excuse about, _not being able to stand it_. It'd been years since I'd gotten used to human interaction.

_The only interaction you should have with them is _food.

I tried to shove her down, the beast that was clawing to get free. The beast that made me what I was, who I was. I hadn't had trouble with this since I first turned.

I turned into the first room that I didn't smell anyone in. Scents of other students lingered, but they were only that—a linger.

I threw myself on one of the desk, pressing my palms to my eyes, trying to refrain from sobbing.

When the sadness ebbed to just a shiver rippling down my spine, I looked up with bleary eyes.

_Shit_

I had to get out of here. This was the classroom that—that the vision happened in. Just as I leapt off the desk, the door flew open. Corey stood there, concern lighting his eyes. "Roxy….are you okay?"

I swiped my sleeve across my eyes. "Yeah. I'm fine. C'mon, let's go to lunch."

"Wait—" he grabbed my arm stopped my exit as his heat shot throughout me. "What is wrong with you?" he sounded angry, if not still concerned. "You barely talk to me, and if we do, you're so…so _distant_? What is so bad about me wanting a friendship with you?"

His face softened and he frowned a little. "Is that so bad, Rain?" he said in a gentler voice. "I just…I want to get to know you. To—I don't know! I just…I want…" he trailed off, struggling with his words, struggling to keep his emotions in check. "What is with you? Why are you so…secluded?! What _are_ you Rain?!"

To my utter embarrassment, I started crying again. _Shit, shit, shit_.

"Ahh…please don't cry, Rain," Corey whispered, his face looking pained. He reached up, and as though he had no idea what he was doing, he touched his gentle fingers to my tearstained cheeks. Despite the inner turmoil, I leaned into his warm touch, inhaling his soothing scent. His fingers brushed clear across to my other cheek.

_This can't be happening. It _can't.

"Then please do not ask me," I recited. I swallowed, trying to get rid of the traitorous tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Roxy….Rain, I have to know; I can't stay in the dark anymore.I cannot stand by anymore, merely brushing into you once in awhile, seeing your face at school, the way you smile at me when we speak. There is so much about you I want to know, and I know this is the beginning of it all. I _want to know you, Roxy_."

"Why do you want to know me," I asked, wiping my face again, trying to erase the feeling of his fingers on my face. But it seemed like the warmth was burned into them, forever etched into my ice cold skin. "Tell me. Why do you want to know me?"

He took a deep, steadying breath. "Because friends deserve to know friends." I hated this sense of déjà vu. I hadn't felt it _year_s and when I can suddenly see visions again it haunts forever.

"You know enough already! I can't tell you!" I cried. My voice was thick with unshed tears—tears that I was totally unwilling to shed. "The secret it not mine alone to tell. Please, just accept that; please do not push me to do something I will regret." We would either have to leave, or he would have to go. Neither was bearable, but the secret had to stay that way, a secret.

"Who else must you ask just to tell me this? Your family? Fine, I can wait, but don't think this will chase me away, Rain." His eyes flashed as he said this, determination trickling in. "I will not give up until I know what you are." And faster than I would have thought possible, he leaned forward and swiftly kissed my temple, pressing all of his heat and scent against my body, searing me, burning me with both. He stared at me for a long moment, brushing his fingers against my cheeks, brushing the lingering tears away. And he turned and strode out, as if this conversation itself had suddenly solved the no-cast-weight problem.

I stared after him, unable to comprehend how this had happened. How _had_ this happened? I shouldn't have turned into the classroom. I shouldn't have….

**Kit POV**

As soon as mom's car pulled up, I jumped in as fast as possible, while still trying to seem casual. Mom didn't notice anything—as usual, she was tired.

"Mom," I said gently. "You know if we could just get that old car in the garage to work, I could drive myself to school. Or, y'know, I could just take the bus."

Mom nibbled her lip for a moment. "Kit, your father told me he'd always wanted to finish that car. But he never did."

I frowned. "Mom," I protested. "Dad taught me enough. I could do it! And…mom, you know we don't have enough money to afford a mechanic."

"Nor do we have enough for gas for two cars," she snapped.

I sighed. "I do have a job. Now, if physical therapy didn't cut into it so much, then—"

"Kit. Please. Just stop." She sounded weary, unable to come up with any more pliable arguments.

I didn't have the strength— or the guts— to argue any more. She knew I was right; we both did.

Anyway, my mind was still reeling from the interaction with Roxy (Rain) this afternoon during lunch.

Would she finally let me in? Would we be able to call ourselves….friends?

If so…. Would we ever become more?

**Ok. I hope anybody who reads this likes it. I had fun writing it, and going back, trying to remember the freakin vision. . lol. Hope it's good! Im on a roll.**


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